Written by: Ampeire Jacob, PR & Communications Officer of Uganda Nurses and Midwives Council.
It is Our Duty to Protect Health Workers from Contracting Ebola by Observing SOPs
In the face of epidemic outbreaks such as Ebola, healthcare workers are at greater risk of contracting the virus due to direct contact with infected patients. However, you and I have a duty to protect these health workers by strictly observing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
A study published by Mercy Corps in March 2019 revealed that during the 2014 epidemic in West Africa, 881 doctors, nurses, and midwives were infected with the virus, and 513 of them died.
During the 2022 outbreak of Sudan ebolavirus in Uganda, at least 19 healthcare workers were infected, of whom seven died, according to a report published by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control on 11 January 2023.
An article published by the National Library of Medicine on 3 December 2020 notes that health workers contract the virus during Ebola outbreaks due to difficulties with clinical recognition, lack of diagnostic capabilities, inadequate supplies of personal protective equipment (PPE) such as gloves, gowns, and face shields, insufficient training, and poor public health infrastructure.
While I acknowledge that these reasons are valid, I firmly believe that health workers can be protected beyond the hospital setting if the public strictly observes SOPs.
The Ministry of Health has worked hard to educate the public on how Ebola spreads and how it can be prevented. It has disseminated infographics and designed and distributed SOPs for public spaces, such as schools, churches, and markets.
The responsibility now lies with us. If the public follows these SOPs, few people will contract Ebola and require hospital care, thereby protecting health workers from exposure.
Protecting health workers is critical. When they become infected, it leads to increased viral spread, especially in the early stages of an outbreak. Significant losses in the health workforce can also force the closure of health facilities and disrupt routine services such as HIV treatment, malaria control, immunization, tuberculosis management, and maternity care.
It is estimated that during the 2014 Ebola outbreak in West Africa, 10,600 lives were lost due to other serious diseases, overwhelmed health systems, and a reduced health care workforce.
Ebola virus disease (EVD) is a severe, often fatal illness that causes substantial morbidity and mortality. Fatality rates range from 50% to 90%, depending on the species, and have historically been highest for the Ebola virus.
As highlighted in this article, observing SOPs is essential – not only for protecting ourselves from contracting the Ebola Virus but also for safeguarding health workers and maintaining health service delivery across the country.
Therefore, the choice is yours: will you observe the SOPs and help protect health workers, or risk dying alongside them?
